Learn to Draw Class starts October 16, 2023

Give yourself or your loved one the gift of Learning to Draw!

Anyone can learn to draw with the tools I will teach you & practice. Learn to break down objects into their basic elements and shapes, see their edges, positive & negative space, & perspective. Blind contour drawing will enhance your understanding of how to draw what you are looking at, in a realistic manner quickly! Learn how to add convincing shading to objects based on light direction and contour, so your drawings won't look flat. Create drawings that you will be proud to share or give as gifts.

CLASS STARTS 

Monday, October 16, 2023, and is for 8 weeks, 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, cost is $170.00. No refunds. Minimum students 3, maximum students 8.

TO HOLD YOUR SPOT

Please mail a check directly to: Revelle Taillon, 26 West Pine Street, Plaistow, NH 03865. For more information, and to see if there is room left in this class, call 603-548-6694 or email rtaillon@comcast.net. A percentage of each tuition is donated to the Seacoast Artist Association. Information is also available at the Seacoast Artist Association website: http://seacoastartist.org

WHAT TO BRING

Black fine tip markers such as Staedtler pigment liners, 3 colored markers or colored pencils (any colors), 9" x 12" Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad, kneaded eraser, white plastic eraser, paper blending stumps, a 12 piece set of drawing pencils with both B and H pencils, a 12 inch 30°-60° clear triangle to learn perspective.

Classes will be taught by Revelle Taillon, a member of the Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter, NH. She holds a BFA from ULowell and has won regional and national awards. 

Learn to Draw

Mondays, 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm, starting October 16, 2023

Instructor, Revelle Taillon, rtaillon@comcast.net

Class is held at Seacoast Artist Association

130 Water Street, Exeter, NH

http://seacoastartist.org

Feel free to forward this to friends and family who might be interested!

Pastel Painting Class November 2016

November Art Class: 
Pastel Painting: Landscape

Seacoast Artists Association
130 Water Street, Exeter, NH
(603) 778-8856    www.seacoastartist.org

This is a soft pastel painting class for those of you who have never tried this wonderful medium, and those of you who have tried it and would like a refresher course. This class will introduce you to pastels and you will see how quickly they go down on the surface, and how brilliant the effects are of these pure colors. Each class will start with some information on pastel painting including: how to make different marks: linear or side strokes; ways to blend colors on the paper; and underpainting techniques. Pastels are very versatile and it is easy to create simple or complex paintings. We will concentrate on landscape in this class and draw from photos.

What to bring: Sennilier Half-Stick Soft Pastels set of 40 (or more) assorted half-sticks, Prismacolor NuPastel set of 12, Colourfix Pastel Paper (cool tone pack 9” X 12”, or 10 sheets of white), vine charcoal (soft), painting board (to tape drawing paper to), paper towels or rags, paper stumps and an old stiff artist paintbrush (1" wide) for blending, Masking tape 3/4” wide. I have set up a Wish List on DickBlick.com with the recommended supplies, but you may substitute these with soft pastels of your choice. Once you send in your check to hold your spot, I will email you the link to this Wishlist. Do NOT buy “Oil” pastels by mistake. You may want to wear clothing you do not mind getting dirty. Class limited to 4.

Class starts: Monday, November 7th, 2016, and runs for 8 weeks, 1:00am to 3:00pm. Cost is $150.00.

To hold your spot please mail a check directly to: Revelle Taillon, 26 West Pine Street, Plaistow, NH 03865. Email me to receive a link to the Wishlist (with supplies needed) if you want to purchase supplies online at www.DickBlick.com. They have extremely good prices and awesome customer service.

For more information you may call 603-382-3397 or email Revelle at rtaillon@comcast.net. 10% of each tuition is donated to the SAA Art Scholarship Fund.

Classes will be taught by Revelle Taillon, a member of the Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter, NH. She holds a BFA from ULowell and has won regional and national awards. Her blog has samples of her artwork and techniques: http://revelleimagemaker.blogspot.com

3 New Classes at Seacoast Artist Association

Evening November Art Class:
Drawing the Human Head
Beginner and Intermediate Students

Seacoast Artists Association
130 Water Street, Exeter, NH 03833
(603) 778-8856  •  www.seacoastartist.org
Have you wondered where you go wrong when you attempt to draw a face or a portrait? In this class you will start with the basic skull, and work you way up to the planes of the face. You’ll practice them in portrait, profile, and 3/4 view. Then we will add the skin, practice types of shading and learn to determine where the light is coming from and how that affects highlights and shadows. Then on to each part of the face: eyes, nose, lips, ears, and hair. Anyone can learn to draw the human head with the tools I will teach you. Learn how the parts of the head reflect each other, and understand how to see faces in a brand new way.

What to bring: A set of drawing pencils, a ruler,  9” x 12” Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad, kneaded eraser, white plastic eraser, blending stumps, charcoal, a black Sharpie pen. Minimum class size is 3. Class size limited to 7.

Class starts: Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016, and runs 8 weeks, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Cost is $150.00.

To hold your spot please mail a check directly to:
Revelle Taillon, 26 West Pine Street, Plaistow, NH 03865.
For more information you may call 603-382-3397 or email Revelle at rtaillon@comcast.net. 10% of each tuition is donated to the Art Scholarship Fund.

Class will be taught by Revelle Taillon, a member of the Seacoast Artist Association. She holds a BFA in graphic design and illustration from ULowell and has won regional and national awards.
Revelle’s Blog has samples of her work and technique: www.revelleimagemaker.blogspot.com.

I am offering 3 art classes at Seacoast Artist Association, Exeter, NH September 2013

Drawing With Colored Pencils

This class is for students who would like to learn to use colored pencils, or if you have used them before, come get a refresher class and learn some new techniques and supports for your work. Explore various techniques in colored pencil: shading and highlights to create volume, building layers of color, burnishing for deep rich color. You will work from photos and still lifes, to enhance your own personal technique and style. You will learn the five basic techniques that form the basis of any colored pencil work and explore new supports for your work. This great medium allows you to stop and start easily, without any set-up time, and to draw on location without worrying about solvents.

What to bring: A quality set of colored pencils such as Prismacolors, a battery operated pencil sharpener, kneaded eraser, hard white eraser, 2B pencil, colorless blender pencil or marker. Bring a selection of great drawing papers in colors of your choice, such as Canson Mi-Teintes, Stonehenge, Strathmore, Art Spectrum Colourfix Coated Pastel Paper. Paper should say “acid free, 100% cotton, lignin free” for the best results. Other great surfaces for colored pencil are hot press watercolor paper and Vellum Bristol Board. Minimum class size is 3. Class size limited to 7. Class starts: Thursday, September 5th, 2013, and runs 8 weeks, 10:30 to 12:30 pm. Cost is $135.00. To hold your spot please mail a check directly to: Revelle Taillon, 26 West Pine Street, Plaistow, NH 03865. For more information you may call 603-382-3397 or email Revelle at rtaillon@comcast.net. 10% of each tuition is donated to the Seacoast Artist Association Scholarship Fund.  

Drawing I

This class is for budding artists or those with only a small amount of practice who want to learn drawing skills; or perhaps you have painted but never really learned to draw. Learn to break down objects into their basic elements and shapes so you can truly see how an artist sees. Learn about edges, shape, positive & negative space, and working with spatial relationships within and between objects. Learn how blind contour drawing can enhance your understanding of how to render what you are looking at in a realistic manner quickly. Learn how to use shading to create volume and start to understand perspective. Learn proper dimensions of the human face and work on a self portrait. This is a great class for all beginners and those of you who want to go back and relearn the basics to enhance your drawing practice.

What to bring: A small sketchbook for daily practice (5”x 8” is fine). Moleskine makes a great sketchbook with blank pages, black fine tip markers such as Staedtler pigment liners, 3 colored markers or colored pencils (any colors), Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pad, kneaded eraser, white plastic eraser, drawing pencils. A great quality paper for drawing is Arches Hot Pressed watercolor paper. Large sheets can be folded and torn into smaller sheets. Minimum class size is 3. Class size limited to 7. Class starts: Thursday, September 5th, 2013, and runs 8 weeks, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Cost is $135.00. To hold your spot please mail a check directly to: Revelle Taillon, 26 West Pine Street, Plaistow, NH 03865. For more information you may call 603-382-3397 or email Revelle at rtaillon@comcast.net. 10% of each tuition is donated to the Seacoast Artist Association Scholarship Fund.  

Intermediate Drawing II

If you have learned all the basics in a beginners drawing class, you are ready to move up to an intermediate drawing class. Here you will work more on adding finesse to your drawings and paying closer attention to detail, perspective, proportions, shading, blending, and composition. You will work in pencil, charcoal, and pen and ink and explore more fully, the different papers that are available for drawing, and what a difference they can make to your final drawings. You will work from still lifes and photos. What to bring: A small sketchbook for daily practice (5”x 8” is fine). Moleskine makes a great sketchbook with blank pages. Fine tip black markers, set of drawing pencils, kneaded eraser, hard white eraser, charcoal pencils and/or sticks, conte crayons, sharpener. Bring a selection of drawing papers in your choice of colors. Paper should say “acid free, 100% cotton, lignin free” for the best results and archival quality. Some great papers are: plate or vellum bristol board, Canson Mi-Teintes, Stonehenge, Strathmore, Arches Hot Pressed watercolor paper. Large sheets can be folded and torn into smaller sheets. Minimum class size is 3. Class size limited to 7.

Class starts: Tuesday, September 10th, 2013, and runs 8 weeks, 10:30 to 12:30 pm. Cost is $135.00. To hold your spot please mail a check directly to: Revelle Taillon, 26 West Pine Street, Plaistow, NH 03865. For more information you may call 603-382-3397 or email Revelle at rtaillon@comcast.net. 10% of each tuition is donated to the Seacoast Artist Association Scholarship Fund. 

My digital drawing/collage won first place!

The digital drawing and collage I created in Photoshop, was entered in the theme show at the Seacoast Artist Association Gallery in Exeter, NH and took first place! The theme was "Water, Water, Everywhere". My piece is titled "Creative Solutions to Global Warming". Happy dance!!

More on my elephants

I'm plodding along on my elephants, depending on the weather and how busy my graphic design studio is. I'd really like a good 5 or 6 hours to work just on this!!!

My Dad has been up for the month visiting us kids (six kids in all!) and the weather has been close to 100. It's finally cooling down this week. so I hope to get back to this for a bit!

In the news, Seacoastonline.com

My graphite drawing of my son was chosen as "Best in Show" at the Seacoast Artist Association gallery in Exeter, NH. Stop in and see it if you are in the neighborhood! I'm always open for commissions if you'd like a portrait of yourself, you loved one, your pet, you name it, I can probably draw it!

Joining Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter

I'm joining the Seacoast Artist Association in exeter, NH this year as a hanging member! I'm really thrilled. Getting my Lion drawing framed this week to show in the "Black and White" exhibit for January. Here's a close-up. I'll be showing my colored pencil drawings and perhaps some oils and acrylics. If you are in the neighborhood, stop in in January!

My llama in acrylics

I started painting a llama this weekend. Sometimes it's nice to work in acrylics because they dry so fast. Kind of instant gratification. I have a few more layers to do on this, but thought I'd post it so far. I think I'll use it for a Christmas card design.

Illustration Friday entry for "Imagination"

Step 14 final step, painting is finished!

I added the red glazes and this was taken outside in the shade on a sunny day. I also signed the painting. I don't do that until I am totally finished. I am thrilled with how this came out. Now it just has to dry for several more weeks before I can ship it. I hope you enjoyed watching my process. Let me know if you have any questions!

Step 13

I fixed her tag. Much happier. Worked on her belly, adding a nice roundness to it. Made her right foot a bit smaller and left foot a bit larger. added more detail in the grass. Now I start adding some glazes. I thin down my oil paint with a mixture of stand oil, damar varnish and mineral spirits. I only add a touch of color and thin it way down. You can see I've added a bit of yellow and greens to her coat to make it blend well with the grass. Later, I'll add a bit of red the same way. I also lightened up the inside of her ears. Almost there!

Step 12

Legs in front are coming together. I added some flowers to the grass. Her tummy is looking too flat. I'll have to adjust that! Still adding more and more layers to her coat.

Step 11

I have started adding more dark thin strokes that will go under her fur. It's a brindle coat with all sorts of browns and siennas and not really easy to portray. I'll get it slowly to look the way I want. I also added more grass in front of her and beside her. Painting grass is really fun. I often paint with both hands so it looks more irregular. I still haven't got the tummy and back leg and foot to look how I want it. Bulldogs love to lie down with their back legs out straight. It doesn't look too comfortable! Also added more highlights.

Step 10

I added more dark colors to mark the shadows recede. I'm not crazy with how the tag looks. It's too thick. I went to the pet store and took a couple of snapshots for reference. Tooth is all gone! Mouth more refined.

Step 9

More color on her legs, deeper color under her body. Need to delete that tooth!

Step by Step to Paint an English Bulldog

I received a commission to paint a beautiful English Bulldog about 6 weeks ago. I've been really busy ever since. I've been wanting to post some of my steps so I'm doing it now!

It was to be in oil paint so my first step was to collect as much reference material on her as possible, and find other reference on specific parts like bulldog eyes, which were blown out in the photo. You find something to work with in all cases. So I had about 8 photos to work with. I started with a quick pencil sketch on the canvas. It ended up being too far to the right, so I carefully erased and redrew my sketch. This is what I started with.

Pinecone trick

I've attempted to draw pine cones many, many times, and they always looked fuggly.

So while on vacation I decided to draw one again. First I did a blind contour drawing which you see on the left. Picture it without the color. It was pretty strange looking and off to the left. I did the drawings in pen. Blind contour drawing is when you look at what you are drawing, but you do not look AT the drawing. You keep your eyes on the object. That allows your brain and your eyes and your hand a chance to get comfortable with each other!

The second drawing I did while looking back and forth at the pine cone to the paper, and I'm very happy with it. It actually looks like the pinecone I was holding in my hand!

I then went in with a bit of watercolor on both drawings.

 I highly suggest if you're having a problem "seeing" what you're trying to draw, try a few blind contour drawings of it first.

Close-ups of my Boston Terrier

Boston Terrier 2

Now I have fixed the crooked eye, don't know if you can tell, and I might go back into it later. I started to add more color. I've used a soft blue gray and several other grays. Also added two different pinks to certain areas. Now I'm adding indigo blue where all the black are. I like to build up my blacks with dark blues and browns and dark reds if I can. The colors all shine through when you look at it closely and it makes a rich black.. I've also started to define all the edges of the face and neck. This is so much fun!